WAIRARAPA P. & A. SOCIETY

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3049, 10 April 1917, Page 7

WAIRARAPA P. & A. SOCIETY

SHOWS INWAE TIME. (From Our Special Correspondent.) Carterton, Spril 7. i There was a large attendance at_ a special .meeting of the general committee of the Wairarapa and 1 East Coast P. and A; Society, field to consider the question of continuing tho show during ttie war. Mr. Arch. Clark) president of the society, presided. The secretary read lengthy extracts as to what had been done Jjy kindred associations, and Sir Walter Buchanan then moved; "That in the opinion of -this committee it would be inimical to the best interests of the Dominion and the Empire if the Pastoral and Agricultural Societies in New Zealand were to suspend' their shows."

Speaking to the motion, Sir Walter Buchanan S aid that" the're was no country in. the world where, in relation to other industries, P. and A. Societies were of more importance than in New Zealand. When he first came to the North Island it was a practical impossibility for breeders to got stud stock, except by sending .to the South Island. It was also quite a common occurrenco to go to sales and- see exposed for sale very inferior stock. This had now been altered, and the credit tvis mainly dne to P. and A. Societies. These organisations encouraged a friendly rivalry betweenfarmers and' and offered prizes for the test' m various classes. Consequently at the present time some of the finest stud stock was procurable almost anywhere in the North Island, and stud farms ' were flourishing in all parts. Really inferior stock was no longer seen at stock sales. The talk of doing_ away with the P. and A. shows during the currency of the war could hot be entertained for a moment. In the old days it was often necessary for the farmer to work sixteen, eighteen, , and twenty horn's a day in order to keej) things going, and rather than see the- shows go by the board he was sure the farmers gonerally would be prepared to work the Bame hours again. Great Britain, mainly through her shows, had cultivated and brought to perfection all classes of stock, and r.ow she supplied all parts of the world with her stud stock. It was recognised that Britain's stud stock was the best that can be procured," and in support he quoted instances of sales that had occurred and the prices realised. In England breeders had to contend with great difficulties in the way of cattle diseases, etc., and necessarily the inspection of stock by qualified veterinary surgeons was a heavy drain. .In New Zealand there were -practically no such difficulties to deal with, and there was no reason why New Zealand as the years went on should not work up to and surpass Britain in the breeding of stock. Regarding produce, Sir Walter mentioned that produce of ,the soil constituted 80 per cent, of the exports of the Dominion, and there was no question that the P. and A. Societies fosteyed and encouraged the output of produce from the soil. To ceaße holding shows because the war was not' yet won -would be one of. the greatest possible mis*' takes. Sir Walter Buchanan's remarks were applauded.

The motion' was seconded by Mr. W. Henry Booth, and on being put to .the meeting was carried with one dissentient voice, Mr. J. G. M'Donald.-

Mr. M'Donald .held that the time lost by exhibitors arid.officials at the various shows would be better and more profitably employed-in the interests of the Empire in growing wheat. The food supply was more important at the piesent time than the improvement of stock. ' \ ...

The following committee was set up to give evidence at a'sitting of . the Efficiency Board in Masterton, as to why shows should not be-discontinued during the war:—Mr. A. Clark (president), Sir Waltei® Buchanan, M.L.C., Messrs. H. R. Bunny, G. E. Allen, W. Howard Booth, E. Eagle, jun., and L. H. Smart (secretary). '